Portable information equipment

ABSTRACT

A portable information equipment has a main body portion and a display portion hinged each other. A space is secured in the display portion by using a cabinet for a reflection type liquid crystal display which requires no backlight instead of a liquid crystal display with backlight. The space is used for an additional internal battery. The additional internal battery increases an electric capacity to extend an operation time of the portable information equipment and need no externally attached extension battery.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to portable information equipmenthaving a main body portion and a display portion foldably connected soas to be opened and closed.

[0002] Portable information equipment such as so-called notebookpersonal computers and word processors incorporate a chargeable internalbattery so as to be able to use the equipment at a location where analternating current power supply is not available. FIG. 4 shows aconstitution of generally known portable information equipment 1. Aportable information equipment 1 of such a type includes a main bodyportion 2 and a display portion 3 hinged each other, and usually aninternal battery 4A is disposed at one corner of the main body portion2.

[0003] In any portable information equipment 1 of this type, for thepurpose of enhancing the portability of the equipment 1, while thicknessreduction and weight reduction of the main body portion 2 and displayportion 3 are required, as another important problem to be solved, thereis an ardent demand for increasing a capacity of the internal battery 4Aand extending a battery life thereof. However, in order to increase thecapacity of the internal battery 4A, inevitably it is necessary toenlarge the outer shape of the internal battery 4A; therefore, thecapacity of the internal battery 4A is set in consideration of thebalance relative to a cabinet 21 of the main body portion 2 in which theinternal battery 4A is disposed.

[0004] In the case that the battery capacity is insufficient with theinternal battery 4A alone, an extension battery 4B as shown in FIG. 5 isexternally attached to the main body portion 2 in order to supplementthe resulting battery capacity shortage. However, external attachment ofthe extension battery 4B is considerably detrimental to the portabilityof the portable information equipment 1.

[0005] For a display unit 5 used in the display portion 3 of theportable information equipment 1, a liquid crystal display is generallyemployed. In the past, transmission type liquid crystal displays withbacklight were in a main stream, but in recent years, reflection typeliquid crystal displays have also been employed because the reflectiontype display can provide a clear color display without using anybacklight.

[0006]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing an edge part of thedisplay portion 3 using a transmission type liquid crystal display 5.The transmission type liquid crystal display 5 comprises a transmissiontype liquid crystal unit 5A and a backlight unit 5B. The transmissiontype liquid crystal unit 5A has a laminate of a glass layer 51, apolarizer layer 52, and the like with a liquid crystal layer sandwichedtherebetween. The backlight unit 5B is disposed behind the transmissiontype liquid crystal unit 5A and has a light guide plate 53, a backlight54, and the like. These units are incorporated into a cabinet 31 of thedisplay portion 3. The thickness of the backlight unit 5B isapproximately 3 mm or so.

[0007] Whilst, a reflection type liquid crystal display comprises areflection type liquid crystal unit formed in about the same thicknessas that of the transmission type liquid crystal unit 5A so thatthickness reduction and weight reduction can be realized to an extentcorresponding to omission of the backlight unit 5B, compared with thetransmission type liquid crystal display 5. Furthermore, display can beperformed through utilization of reflected light from external light andnot through illumination by the backlight 54, and this provides for anadvantage of substantial reduction of electric power consumption.

[0008] However, there are commercial demands for both portableinformation equipment 1 using a transmission type liquid crystal display5 and portable information equipment 1 using a reflection type liquidcrystal display. As such, manufacturers of portable informationequipment 1 are required to prepare and supply both types of products.Therefore, for portable information equipment 1 using reflection typeliquid crystal display, despite the fact that the use of reflection typeliquid crystal display enables thickness reduction of display portion 3in relation to portable information equipment 1 using transmission typeliquid crystal display 5, manufacturers are still using the cabinet 31common to both types of display portion 3 of portable informationequipment 1 due to cost reduction of development and manufacturing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention was developed in view of above describedsituation and, therefore, it is an object of the present invention toprovide a portable information equipment substantially thinned by usinga display unit requiring no backlight, wherein a second internal batteryis incorporated into the display unit so that sufficient capacity andlife of the internal battery are ensured and the utility of theequipment is improved.

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the present inventionprovides a portable information equipment having a main body portion anda display portion foldably connected so as to be opened and closed, thedisplay portion comprising: a cabinet defining an outline of the displayportion; a display unit requiring no backlight unit and housed in thecabinet; and a platy internal battery housed in a space defined betweenthe cabinet and the display unit.

[0011] According to this invention, it is possible to increase thecapacity of the internal battery, and therefore the useful life of thebattery can be extended to enhance the utility of the portableinformation equipment. In addition, the display unit requires nobacklight and consequently the electric power requirement for thedisplay unit can be substantially reduced so that the useful life of thebattery can be further extended. The cabinet and the associatedperipheral tarts in the portable information equipment according to thepresent invention are also usable for portable information equipmentfitted with a backlight, and thereby manufacturing cost of the portableinformation equipment can be reduced.

[0012] In an embodiment of the invention, the space is on a back side ofthe display unit in the cabinet.

[0013] In an embodiment of the invention, the display unit is areflection type liquid crystal display. Other display units such as anelectro-luminescence display, a plasma display and a field effectdisplay may be used as well.

[0014] In an embodiment of the invention, the platy internal battery isa lithium polymer battery.

[0015] In an embodiment of the invention, the portable informationequipment further comprises: a battery control board provided within thecabinet; and a flat cable by which the batters control board isconnected to the internal battery.

[0016] In an embodiment of the invention, the flat cable is a flexibleflat cable or a flexible printed circuit.

[0017] According to the embodiment, wiring can be easily conducted inthe cabinet of the display portion because the cable is flexible.

[0018] In an embodiment of the invention, the portable informationequipment further comprises a power supply cable for supplying electricpower from the internal battery to the main body portion.

[0019] In an embodiment of the invention, the power supply cableincludes at least two independent electric wires in a bundle.

[0020] According to the embodiment, a bundle of the wires of the powersupply cable allow a large current to be supplied to the main bodyportion and prevents the power supply cable from breaking duringopening/closing operation of the display portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawingswhich are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitativeof the present invention, and wherein:

[0022]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic construction of aportable information equipment of the present invention;

[0023]FIG. 2 is a schematic view in section showing a vicinity of aframe of a display portion of the portable information equipment of thepresent invention;

[0024]FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a top plan construction ofan interior of the display portion of the portable information equipmentof the present invention;

[0025]FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a schematic construction of aconventional prior art portable information equipment;

[0026]FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the portable informationequipment shown in FIG. 4 as fitted with an extension battery; and

[0027]FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view showing an edge part of adisplay portion in which a transmission type liquid crystal display isemployed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0028] One embodiment of the present invention will now be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings. In the followingdescription, with respect to portions and components similar in functionto those of the aforesaid conventional portable information equipment 1,common designations and reference numerals are used.

[0029]FIG. 1 shows a schematic construction of portable informationequipment 10 of the invention. The portable information equipment 10comprises a main body portion 20 and a display portion 30. When theportable information equipment 10 is not used or is carried, the mainbody portion 20 and the display portion 30 is closed into unity. Whenthe portable information equipment 10 is used, the main body portion 20and the display portion 30 are opened to each other to operate theportable information equipment 10 using a keyboard 22 disposed in themain body portion 20. A chargeable first internal battery 4A, togetherwith main board 23 including processing/memory units and the like, ishoused in a cabinet 21 of the main body portion 20.

[0030] For the display portion 30 of the portable information equipment10, a reflection type liquid crystal display 6 is used as a displayunit. The reflection type liquid crystal display 6 is incorporated intoa cabinet 31. The cabinet 31 can be also used for the aforesaid cabinet31 which defines the display portion 3 of the portable informationequipment 1 employing the liquid crystal display 5 with backlight shownin FIG. 6.

[0031]FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a part of the structure of thedisplay portion 30. The reflection type liquid crystal display 6comprises a reflection type liquid crystal unit 6A which is formed inabout the same thickness as that of the aforesaid liquid crystal unit 5Aof the liquid crystal display 5 with backlight. The reflection typeliquid crystal unto 6A comprises glasses 61 stacked with a liquidcrystal layer held therebetween, polarizer 62, reflector 63 and thelike. Accordingly, between the back surface of the reflection typeliquid crystal unit 6A and the inner surface of the cabinet 31, there isformed a battery housing space 32 having a thickness of about 3 mmcorresponding to the thickness of the backlight unit 5B of the liquidcrystal display 5 with backlight shown in FIG. 6. A second internalbattery 4C formed in thin plate shape is housed in the battery housingspace 32.

[0032] In this way, by utilizing a cabinet 31 for common use with theportable information equipment 1 using the liquid crystal display 5 withbacklight which requires the backlight and the portable informationequipment 10 using a reflection type liquid crystal display 6 which doesnot require the use of backlight, it is possible to secure a batteryhousing space 32 in the display portion 30 for accommodating the secondinternal battery 4C. Thus, the capacity of the internal battery can beincreased and, therefore, any externally attached extension battery isnot necessary. Electric power requirement of the reflection type liquidcrystal display 6 is far much smaller than that of the liquid crystaldisplay 5 with backlight. Therefore, the useful life of battery isfurther extended and the utility of the portable information equipment10 is substantially enhanced. Furthermore, the cabinet 31 of the displayportion 30 and the associated components are commonized between theportable information equipment 10 using the reflection type liquidcrystal display 6 and the portable information equipment 1 using theliquid crystal display 5 with backlight, whereby cost involved inassembling and manufacturing of the portable information equipment 10can be curtailed.

[0033]FIG. 3 shows a top plan view of the inside of the display portion30 in the portable information equipment 10 of the above describedarrangement. For example, in the case of a portable informationequipment 10 having a 11.3 inch reflection type liquid crystal display 6incorporated in the display portion 30, the external size of the displayportion 30 is about 264 mm (in width)×about 207 mm (in length), and thesize of display screen of the reflection type liquid crystal display 6is about 230 mm (in width)×about 173 mm (in length). The size of abattery housing space 32 formed behind the reflection type liquidcrystal display 6 is a few mm larger than the display screen in bothwidth and length.

[0034] In this embodiment, a lithium polymer battery is used as a secondinternal battery 4C housed in the battery housing space 32. For example,one package of the lithium polymer battery 4C has a size of 114 mm (inlength)×88.5 mm (in width)×3 mm (in thickness), four lithium polymerbatteries 4C being arranged in the battery housing space 32. The packageof the lithium polymer battery 4C has a positive terminal 41 and anegative terminal 42 both of which are connected to a battery controlboard 33 through flat type cables 7. For connecting the plural lithiumpolymer batteries 4C, several combinations in series and/or parallel isconceivable, but the combinations are not particularly defined in thepresent invention.

[0035] The battery control board 33 is similar in size to an inverterboard (not shown) incorporated in the liquid crystal display 5 withbacklight for lightening the backlight 54. Therefore, the batterycontrol board 33 can be incorporated into the cabinet 31 withoutdifficulty in the case where the cabinet 31 of the display portion 30using the reflection type liquid crystal display 6 is common with thecabinet 31 of the display portion 3 using the liquid crystal display 5with backlight.

[0036] FPC (flexible printed circuit) and FFC (flexible flat cable) aresuitable for the flat cable 7. The FPC or FFC flat cable 7 is as thin asabout 0.5 mm and has high flexibility, so that the FPC or FFC flat cable7 can be easily incorporated in the cabinet 31 of the display portion 30having limitations in thickness. Further, resistance of the FPC or FFCflat cable 7 is small, and therefore it is possible to flow a largecurrent by widening the width of the flat cable 7.

[0037] The display portion 30 is connected to the main body portion 20so as to be openable and closable with hinges (not shown). Therefore, inorder to supply power from the second internal battery 4C housed indisplay portion 30 to the main body portion 20, a power supply cable 8capable of feeding a large current is required. In the presentembodiment, a power supply cable 8 consisting of plural independentslender electric wires 80 bundled together is used. Such a bundle of theelectric wires 80 are connected at their ends to the battery controlboard 33 incorporated in the display portion 30. In the case where wireshaving a large diameter are used for the power supply cable 8, wirebreak or wire twist may occur in the course of repetitiveopening/closing operations of the display portion 30. However, when thewires 80 are slender, possibility of wire break or wire twist can beminimized. Specifically, the thickness of the slender electric wire 80is preferably is more slender than AWG (American Wire Gauge) #30.

[0038] As above described, according to the present invention, it ispossible to incorporate a thin-plate second internal battery 4C into thedisplay portion 30, by using the display unit 6 which requires nobacklight in the display portion 30 to take advantage of the resultingthickness reduction, so as to increase the capacity and utility of theinternal battery. Further, by using the cabinet 31 in common for thedisplay portion 30 with no backlight and for the display portion 3 withthe backlight 54, it is possible to reduce the costs involved infabrication and assembly of the cabinet 31 and associated parts.

[0039] The display portion 30 is not particularly limited to theaforesaid reflection type liquid crystal display 6. Other display unitssuch as EL (electro-luminescence) display, plasma display and fieldeffect display may be used as well.

[0040] The aforesaid lithium polymer battery 4C is particularly suitablefor the second internal battery 4C, but other thin-type batteriesadaptable for capacity increase may be used. Further, in case that theperformance of the second internal battery 4C has been exceedinglyimproved to sufficiently secure a necessary battery with the secondinternal battery 4C alone, the first battery 4A to be housed in the mainbody portion 20 can be omitted.

[0041] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that thesame may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not be regarded asa departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all suchmodifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intendedto be included within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable information equipment having a mainbody portion and a display portion foldably connected so as to be openedand closed, the display portion comprising: a cabinet defining anoutline of the display portion; a display unit requiring no backlightunit and housed in the cabinet; and a platy internal battery housed in aspace defined between the cabinet and the display unit.
 2. The portableinformation equipment as set forth in claim 1, wherein the space is on aback side of the display unit in the cabinet.
 3. The portableinformation equipment as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display unitis a reflection type liquid crystal display.
 4. The portable informationequipment as set forth in claim 1, wherein the platy internal battery isa lithium polymer battery.
 5. The portable information equipment as setforth in claim 1, the display portion further comprising: a batterycontrol board provided within the cabinet; and a flat cable by which thebattery control board is connected to the internal battery.
 6. Theportable information equipment as set forth in claim 5, wherein the flatcable is a flexible flat cable or a flexible printed circuit.
 7. Theportable information equipment as set forth in claim 1, the displayportion further comprising: a power supply cable for supplying electricpower from the internal battery to the main body portion.
 8. Theportable information equipment as set forth in claim 7, wherein thepower supply cable includes at least two independent electric wires in abundle.